Augmented reality (“AR”) refers to the live or real-time view of a physical or real-world environment whose elements are augmented (or supplemented) by computer-generated sensory input such as sound, video, graphics or geographical positioning system (“GPS”) data. As such, AR enhances a user's perception of reality. In contrast, virtual reality refers to the replacement of the real world with a simulated one. In an AR system, augmentation is generally performed in real-time and in semantic context with environmental elements, such as sports scores presented on television during a game. In some AR systems equipped with computer vision, object recognition, etc., real-world information concerning the user's surrounding environment may be made interactive and digitally manipulable. In addition, artificial information concerning the environment and its objects may be overlaid on the real-world information.
Augmented reality farming or agriculture refers to the application of AR techniques to farming and agriculture. AR techniques may be used to overlay sensor data, previous crop imagery, or other information over a farmer's or user's visual reality with a view to improving farm production, crop rotation, pest management, land development, etc. For example, AR techniques may be used to generate a three-dimensional information model over a topographic map of a farm field to illustrate multiple data sets such as altitude (represented by the height of the model), expected crop yield (represented by a first color in first view), and actual crop yield (represented by a second color in a second view). As another example, AR historical rainfall patterns may be viewed by a user to help support sensible planting or land development and to help manage run-off and other potentially detrimental events. As a further example, AR nutrient content (from sensors or static test equipment) over a field may be viewed by a user to help decide upon the best companion planting, best crops to plant, etc., for the field.
One problem with existing AR farming techniques relates to the effective collection and transfer of data from the field or region-of-interest for overlaying on the real-time view of the field or region-of-interest to generate the AR presentation.
A need therefore exists for an improved method and system for generating augmented agriculture presentations. Accordingly, a solution that addresses, at least in part, the above and other shortcomings is desired.